Vehicle-tire.



no. 655,286. Patent'd Aug. 7, I900. J. E. VAN NEST.

VEHICLE TIRE.

(Application fi1ed,l3ec. 14, 1899.\

(N0 'Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FEICE.

JAMES EUGENE VAN NEST, OF MARTINSVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

VEHICLE-TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,286, dated August7, 1900. Application filed December 14, 1869. Serial No. 740,842. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs EUGENE VAN;

.new and useful Vehicle-Tire, of which the following is a specification.This invention relates to vehicle-tires; and it has for its object toprovide a tire which will be elastic and resilient and which will bedurable and unaifected by those conditions which usually destroy theutility of the socalled pneumatic tire.

The tireconsists of two circular hoops of metal, one of which isconcaved upon its outer periphery and the other is convexed upon itsinner periphery, each hoop being semicircular in cross-section andconnected at their edges continuously by means of hinges to form atubular tire. lrVithin the tire and at difierent points thereof arearranged bowsprings, which tend to hold the tire circular incross-section and which stiffen the structure and aid the elasticitythereof.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and in which likeparts are indicated by the same numerals, Figure 1 is a side elevationof a portion of a tire constructed in accordance with this invention andin which a part of the sealing-strip is broken away to show the hingedjoint. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of Fig. 1, with thespringplates in elevation. section of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the tire consists of an inner element 5and an outer element 6, both of which are semicircular in cross-section.The element 5 is concaved in its outer periphery, while the outerperiphery of the element 6 is convex, these elements having diametersand being disposed with their edges in mutual contact and havingregistering ears 7 and intermediate interspaces 8, the ears being bentto form hinge elements mutually connected through the medium of a singlehinge-pin 9 at each side.

The elements 5 and 6 of the tire are formed of spring-steel or otherspring metal, and under pressure the tendency is for their points ofgreatest separation to move toward each other, at which time their edgesmove outwardly, this operation being permitted by the Fig. 3 is atransverse hinge-joints. If desired, ingress of dust and other foreignmatter to theinclosure of the tire may be prevented by securing circularbands 10, of rubber or other flexible material, over the hinged joints,the edges of these bands being riveted or otherwise secured to theelements 5 and 6.

Under ordinary conditions of use the ele- 6o ments 5 and 6 possesssufficient elasticity and durability to withstand the pressure appliedthereto; but where excessive loads are carried it has been founddesirable to reinforce the tire by disposing at difierent points thereinspring-plates l1,arranged in pairs and having their ends hingedlyconnected with each other and with ears 12 upon the inner surfaces ofthe elements 5 and 6. These spring-plates 11 are bowed outwardly, andbeing disposed ra- 7o without departing from the spirit of theinvention. Furthermore, the hinge-protecting band 10 may be madeintegral with the outer piece 6 and in the form of a flap, which may lieupon the inner portion 5 or may lie between it and the second flapformed integral 8 5 therewith and adjacent the edge.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1.Abicycle-tire comprising a spring-metal hoop which is arc-shaped incross-section and 0 concaved in its outer periphery, a second springmetal hoop which is arc-shaped in cross-section and is concaved in itsinner periphery, hinge connections between the edges of the hoops, and aflexible covering for each hinge connection.

2. A vehicle-tire comprising a spring-metal hoop, a second spring-metalhoop hingedly connected with the first-named hoop to form a tubulartire, and reinforcing spring-plates roo hingedly connected in pairs anddisposed ra dially of the tire.

3. A vehicle-tire comprising two springmetal hoops, arc-shaped in crosssection and having their edges hingedly connected to I my own I havehereto affixed my signature in form a. tubular tire, coverings for thehinged the presence of two witnesses.

connections and sprin -plates hin edly 0011- nected in pziirs and disimsed radiajly of the JAMES EUGENE VAN NESL' 5 tire and engagingopposite points of the in- Vitnesses:

WILLIAM OORIELL,

ner periphery thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ALICE M. THOMPSON.

